Romeo's Last Breath
by crematosis
Summary: A starocean twist on the end of romeo and juliet story..unfortunately,that means most of you will already know sort of what the ending will be like...but read and review anyway! Albel as Romeo, Fayt as Juliet


A/N: Yes, this is based rather generally on Romeo and Juliet…but it's not quite the same...no old English, no girl…XDDD But yeah…Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy, so no happy ending here….cry your hearts out gents.

Disclaimer: I own none of the character from star ocean or Romeo and Juliet.

"I have never loved you and I never will!"

It had almost been three weeks since Albel had shouted those fateful words at Fayt and stormed off. The whole camp heard it, much to Fayt's shame. Nel and Maria tried to comfort him, but it was no use. Fayt could never get over Albel. Every time Albel walked by, Fayt's eyes threatened tears, but for the most part, Albel made sure to avoid Fayt, which only made the boy more miserable.

Almost three weeks, and then there was the lake.

Peppita found him first. She raced up the embankment, rushing into camp. By a strange coincidence, the first person she ran into was Albel.

"Please, you have to help him!" Peppita gasped out.

Albel stared at her. "What do you want, worm?"

Peppita held up a small vial. "This is poison," she said firmly. "I found it next to Fayt. I think someone's poisoned him."

Albel read the label, his mouth set into a firm line. "Okay, you stay here. I'll go take care of it."

Albel slowly walked down the bank. There was Fayt, lying at the water's side.

Albel slowly sat down next to Fayt and stared out at the placid lake surface. Fayt did not acknowledge his presence.

"Why did you do it?" Albel asked at last. Fayt stirred slightly. "Why did you poison yourself?"

Fayt sighed, moving stiffly, his breathing ragged and shallow. "Because I couldn't bear to live anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I have nothing to live for."

"Why?" Albel hissed, his voice grating.

Fayt slowly turned his head to look at Albel, his green eyes calm and acceptant. "You know why."

Albel settled further into the dirt. "It's my fault? You're killing yourself because you hate me?"

"I don't hate you." Fayt said fervently. "I have always loved you and I always will. I should have known better than to fall in love with someone like you, but I did and I can't get over it. I should never have-"

Albel interrupted him. "You should hate me. Only a fool breaks his word."

Fayt stared at him wonderingly. "What do you mean?"

Albel sighed and lay back into the soft dirt next to Fayt. "I am a coward."

"No you're not!" Fayt gasped. "You're a brave soldier and a-"

Albel cut him off. "I may be brave in battle, but I'm a coward out of battle. I should never have said those things to you, but maybe I wanted to convince myself they were true. I never meant to hurt you as I did."

Fayt studied his face carefully. "You're just saying these things while I'm dying so I'll die happy and then you'll talk bad about me after I'm gone."

"I won't talk bad about you when you're gone," Albel assured him.

Fayt scoffed.

Albel's eyes narrowed at Fayt as he continued calmly. "I won't talk bad about you after you're gone because I won't be there. I'm going with you."

Fayt's eyes widened in surprise. "You don't-you can't-"

Albel smiled. "I do, I can, I will." He carefully unsheathed his sword and held the shining metal above his wrist. He delicately brought the sword down, slicing into his flesh. Albel waited patiently until the blood began to drip out of the wound around his sword before moving on to his next wrist.

Fayt's face still reflected shock. Albel smiled warmly at him, noting how Fayt's skin was beginning to turn yellow.

Albel wrapped his arms around Fayt, getting blood on the back of Fayt's shirt. "I'm sorry we couldn't have been together sooner," Albel whispered. "But we will be together in eternity."

Fayt allowed Albel to pull him close, to gently kiss his forehead, both cheeks, his lips. Fayt was limp with relief. So he would die happy after all.

Now Albel's breathing was just as ragged as Fayt's. He gently put his fingers over Fayt's eyes. "Go to sleep," he rasped. "If you're lucky, you'll wake up in heaven."

Fayt did as he was told, burrowing deep into Albel's embrace and slept, his body weakening.

"Hey, Fayt! Fayt, are you still there?"

Fayt slowly roused himself. He felt exhausted. His whole body was sore, his eyes were dry and his skin felt like it was peeling off. He opened his eyes to find his vision blurred. He blinked a few times until Cliff came into focus.

Cliff looked down at Fayt happily, and then his look shifted slightly to the right and he became serious. "Alright, let's get you out of this death trap."

"No," Fayt said weakly. "It's better if I die here."

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you the good news yet. We found the antidote. You don't need to die."

Fayt felt wild panic rise up within him. "They told me there was no antidote," he whispered, his voice paper thin.

"Well, there's no antidote on this planet, but we figured out how to make one."

Fayt turned his head slightly. Albel's arms were still around his waist. His gaze traveled from the dried blood around Albel's wrists up to the peaceful look upon the warrior's face.

Fayt felt Cliff lifting him up from the dirt. He clawed at Cliff ineffectually. "No, put me down!" he hissed.

"Fayt, Albel's dead. I'm sure that makes you very happy to know, but I can't leave you with a dead guy. You can celebrate being rid of him later."

"No, you don't understand," Fayt wailed. "He loved me. He killed himself to be with me. We were supposed to die together. Put me back so I can die with him."

"No," Cliff said firmly. "There's more to life than Albel."

Each step brought Fayt further and further from Albel's body. Fayt's body heaved with dry sobs. "I never got to say good-bye."

"We'll burry him and you can say good-bye then."

"Please," Fayt begged, "don't burry him until I'm well enough to attend the funeral."

"No problem," Cliff said cheerfully.

It took nine days for Fayt's body to rid itself completely of the toxin, nine days to heal and gain back strength, nine days of lonely misery. Albel's body had been sealed away in a special chamber to preserve it until Fayt was ready. But now that the funeral would be that very afternoon, Albel's body was resting in an ordinary coffin.

Fayt was walking for the first time since Albel's death. He wandered the camp idly, dressed up in his best clothes to mourn over his love. But that would not be the case.

Fayt had perfect timing. The camp was deserted, everyone off to clean themselves and get dressed for the funeral in a few hours. The undertaker was not even there. All that remained was the coffin.

Fayt slowly pried open the lid and gazed longingly at his beloved friend. "Nine days is too long to wait," he murmured, crawling into the coffin, next to Albel.

It was a tight fit, but Fayt had gently rolled Albel onto his side and was now curled up beside him. Fayt gently kissed Albel's dead lips and gazed at the dead white skin. "You're not really here," he whispered. You're up in heaven waiting for me."

With a bit of work, Fayt managed to close the coffin lid over the two of them while inside. "I could easily die by suffocation," Fayt whispered. "But that would be too long to wait. I left a note to Cliff telling him that you really did love me. I don't want your lasting legacy to be the one who rejected me." He snuggled into Albel's chest. "But I still imagine the girls will get quite a shock when they open the coffin to find two bodies. Oh well, it can't be helped." Fayt slipped the knife out from his pocket and plunged it into his heart.

In a small corner of the cemetery there is tombstone with two names. The inscription reads: "Buried here are Albel Nox, brave warrior and Fayt Leingod, devoted friend. Apart in life, but together in death."


End file.
